Home is Where You Are
by SalutDarling
Summary: Merlin is an Omega, and Arthur, an Alpha, chose him to be his mate when the boy was still very young. The countdown to Merlin's first heat begins, where the future of the sorcerer will be decided. A/M Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics
1. Prologue

**Home is Where You Are**  
>Prologue<p>

Story Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, knotting, scenting, mating, heat

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><p>Merlin held his breath in long pauses, and tried very hard not to notice the strong pheromones that were now filling up the Omega den. An Alpha was coming, and it made Merlin's skin crawl at the thought of being chosen above the others. The majority of the other inhabitants were female, all in various stages of maturity. A few of the other women were of age to start entering heat, so suppressant herbs had become a staple in their diets, though they did nothing to counteract the strong scent of an Alpha. Instinct could overpower medicinal herbs any day.<p>

The den was generally a calm place, only Betas and elderly Omegas were allowed to care for the unmated Omegas who had been herded together for protection. The term 'den' was a bit misleading, as the den was really more of a large cottage, secluded away from other villages, but frequented often by Alpha nobles seeking a mate. An den was a prime place to seek out a partner once a noble came of age, since any Omegas discovered in the country were taken from their family and escorted here, where they were raised to fit the roles that would be required of them.

Merlin had only been a member of the den for a few weeks now, and he still whined at night for his mother and his old village. The caretakers showed him pity and allowed him his sorrow in peace, but freedom was not an option for Merlin anymore. Though he begged and pleaded and shivered against the elderly caretakers, the iron cuffs for his magic remained, and so did he. The others did not understand his grief. Many of them lived their whole lives in the den, their earliest memories are of the secluded cottage, and not of mothers and neighbors and freedom.

When a noble visited to seek out a mate, the den workers rounded up all of their charges, shuffling them in to the front room where the latest Alpha waited to inspect them. Merlin wasn't hoping for much, as a male Omega, he was overlooked by many of the nobles that came seeking out a mate. He was also still very young, and his immaturity was still apparent. His silky black ears were still standing tall from his messy hair, and his sleek tail still held it's full size. He had barely seen twelve summers, and now he was a candidate for mating.

"Your highness!" One of the caretakers, Edith, squawked, voice breaking even in her old age with her surprise. She bowed deeply, gesturing for the young Omegas to do the same.

The man was a golden sun in Merlin's eyes, shining so bright it hurt to keep looking. He was young, but mature. He no longer had his ears, a true sign of an adult. He was also like every other Alpha that Merlin had encountered in his stay at the den, leaking curious pheromones and smelling like promises of a better life. As hard as he wished to ignore the pull to the man, he couldn't avert his eyes.

"Prince Arthur, we would be honored if you were to find a mate from our den. Please, feel free to ask them any questions you see fit. We have limited background information on all of them as well..." The Beta male's voice quivered against the strength of Arthur's presence, though he hadn't done anything but enter the cottage. Merlin wondered if he would draw the anger of the Prince if he couldn't stop staring, but his body wouldn't obey him.

When it was Merlin's turn to be looked over, Arthur stalked around him slowly, inspecting him carefully but not touching the boy. Finally Merlin's nerves broke, and his careful control on his pheromones broke, flooding the room with the sweet scent of an unmarked Omega. The prince's eyes went dark for a moment as the wave hit him full force. His nose twitched slightly as he studied Merlin's unique aroma, but only pleasure reflected on his face.

"I think..." The prince started, his low rumble sending tremors down Merlin's spine. The other Omegas seemed to feel the effects of such a dominant presence as well, swaying on their feet and puffing out their chests. Even the other males were softening their eyes and mouths for the prince.

"I think perhaps I have already made my decision." Arthur slowly crouched down in front of Merlin, lowering his head but offering his hand. The younger boy went in to a bit of a panic, as he had never been appropriately trained for what to do when the selection process went this far. He sent up a silent prayer and took Arthur's much larger hand in his.

_'I can always say no. I can always say no.'_ Merlin repeated his mantra over and over in his head, something he had held dear to him when his freedom was stripped away.

_'No one can take me if I don't want them to.'_

The den mother Ellena, a sweet elderly Omega who had lost her mate to war, eyed Merlin with a knowing expression. She nodded to the pair, and the other den members were gently corralled in to another room.

"Y-your Highness." He mumbled, barely remembering his training as he bowed a bit too late to be respectful. The prince only laughed low in his chest, almost like a deep purr of contentment. Arthur gave a slight tug from where their hands were clasped, and Merlin toppled forwards in to his broad chest.

"What a wonderful mate you'll be..." Arthur purred, gathering Merlin's scrawny form in his arms. The larger knight held much of an advantage over Merlin, but the Omega suddenly didn't feel like running away any longer. Something about the way Arthur curled around him, nuzzling the delicate junction of his neck and shoulder, made Merlin forget all about his old home.


	2. Chapter 1

Before Merlin was the bonding chamber, where he would be almost permanently connected to Arthur forever. Once he accepted the Alpha as his chosen mate, they would spend a week together in the chamber, curled up together to mingle their scents so thoroughly Merlin's Omega pheromones would be overpowered by Arthur's dominance.

"Eventually," Ellena explained, showing Merlin and Arthur around the elegantly decorated room. "This will wear off, as it is only scent marking. It must be maintained until Merlin reaches his heat. His first heat will be a critical time where he both becomes an adult, and fully blossoms in to his mated Omega role."

There were no scented oils for the lanterns or the bath, which was set up in a separate room, lacking heated water at the moment. Nothing in the room smelled like anything really, which was a surprise to Merlin. This room was the most elegant of all rooms in their den, with fine linens and exquisite furs. A massive hearth would heat the room at night, and beautiful lanterns adored the walls for light. A large, permanently closed window gave a picturesque view of the lake the den was situated next to, and nothing else but the wilderness.

Arthur stepped in the chamber without Merlin in tow, gently removing his boots and leaving them near the doorway. He stripped off a few of his outer layers, until he was left in only his fine linen shirt and a loose pair of trousers. Merlin was jealous of the finery a prince got to wear, maybe only an Alpha prince, he reminded himself. He himself was gifted with an itchy woolen tunic that came to his knees, and nothing else. His legs were bare from his feet to his groin, where a loose pair of shorts was his only protection from the elements.

"What are you doing?" Merlin blurted out, slightly confused by Arthur's behavior. He immediately felt the burn of embarrassment when Ellena shot him an exasperated look.

"Merlin!" She chided, but Arthur only laughed at the Omega's cluelessness.

"You have to enter of your own free will, my little bird. Entering room gives me consent to claim you as my own." Arthur explained carefully, situating himself in a large armchair near the hearth. The prince sunk down in the plush chair and closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the headrest.

"You'll have to forgive Merlin, he wasn't raised here in the den like the others. He has only been with us for a short while, but I assure you he has been trained better then this." Ellena sighed, letting her shoulders sag and frustrations show. Truth be told, two months was far too little of a time to train Merlin in proper Omega etiquette. It was a lifestyle he hadn't been prepared for, coming from living on a farm in a different kingdom to living in the den was a very different shift in focus.

"Where are you from, Merlin? You weren't raised here, so you must have come from somewhere." Arthur asked him, but he didn't open his eyes to look at the Omega while he spoke. Merlin noticed that though his body appeared relaxed, Arthur was truly a tight line of clenched muscles. A quick sniff of the room revealed Arthur's self-control battling with his desire.

For some reason or another, the knowledge that Arthur was trying so hard to give Merlin as much freedom in this was endearing, but he also felt guilt for causing such strain in the Alpha. He toed the line between the creaky wooden floors of the den and the polished floors of the bonding chamber. Entering would mean there was no going back, this man would become his life.

'He's a lot better then any of the other Alphas that have come...' Merlin thought carefully, worried that perhaps Arthur might pick up on his negative thoughts.

"I'm from Ealdor." Merlin finally answered, taking a small step across the threshold and in to the room. The Omega expected Arthur to rush over and collect him in his arms, cradling him like precious cargo, but Arthur's restraint remained. If anything, it had become more tense. Arthur needed Merlin to submit to him fully, but the Omega wanted to make sure the legitimacy of their match before he committed himself completely.

"In Cendred's Kingdom?" Arthur questioned, this time cracking open one eye to glance at Ellena.

"Their den wouldn't take him when he was discovered. They hold firm to the rumor that Omega's with abilities are... less valuable." Ellena reached out an placed a soothing hand on the back of Merlin's head, softly rubbing where his non-humanoid ears connected in to his hair. The furry ears, when rubbed, had a calming effect on juveniles of all classes, but Omega's held their ears and tails the longest.

Merlin could smell Ellena's fear that the Prince would reject him, though they iron cuffs around his ankles and wrists had been perfectly visible when Arthur had chosen Merlin as his mate. The den mother had explained to him over and over again though, after every failed mate chose another Omega, and after more and more of the girls left to noble estates, his abilities would always be looked down upon. It was better to suppress them then to express them, she would say.

Arthur was silent for a few moments, and in those moments Merlin paid careful attention to his scent. Never once did it stray in to disgust, or fear. He never once' wavered in his desire, and the heavy burden Merlin had been carried felt like it lightened somewhat.

"What power must be hiding beneath your skin..." The prince mused, opening his eyes fully to stare in to the empty fireplace now.

"What a strong mate you will be." Arthur's sentence was punctuated with a purr, and Merlin felt a coil begin to tighten in his stomach.

Ellena dropped her hand from his hair, and nudged him forwards towards the armchair. His body responded effortlessly, each footstep quicker then the last until he was standing immediately before the Prince. Less then an inch of space separated them now, and Merlin was quick to close the gap. He reached out and carded his fingers through Arthur's soft blond hair, dragging his blunt fingertips alone his scalp in gentle lines. He was pleased to find no traces of his mate's furry ears.

'A true adult.' Merlin gleefully acknowledged.

"You smell so beautiful..." Arthur mumbled, his face buried in the pale skin of Merlin's collarbone. A sharp inhale was followed with another soft purr from deep within the prince's body. The vibrations from Arthur made his skin tingle and his mind a bit soft.

"It feels like you were made just for me." The prince smiled, the soft purring building in intensity as Merlin enjoyed the softness of the Arthur's hair. A second burst of pheromones brought Merlin the same breathless feeling Arthur had experienced only moments ago downstairs before an entire crowd of Omega's, strong and enamored. It was protective and overjoyed, and the scent made Merlin's heart melt a little faster.

"Make sure this is what you want Merlin." Arthur leaned down and ghosted his lips over the curve of Merlin's fur-covered ears. The Omega's still strong tail reacted by twining itself around the prince's thigh, eliciting another low rumble from Arthur's chest. Merlin was beginning to crave that sound, and how it made him feel, more then he craved to be rid of the iron cuffs around his wrists and ankles.

"Once these doors are locked, no other Alpha can take you." Ellena interjected, the silver key hanging precariously on the chain around her neck. She kept the key close to her at all times, to discourage curious children from getting in to places they didn't belong. The bonding room was a sacred place in any Omega den, where powerful matings were forged.

"Once I claim you, I'm positive I will never be able to let you go." Arthur finished his sentence with an exaggerated growl, and Merlin could only mewl in response.

"I'm sure." Merlin whimpered, craving more contact with the prince then his current position allowed. Arthur's arms lifted him from the ground and cradled his small, lithe body against his chest, with Merlin's legs dangling over the arm of the chair.

The Omega ran his nose along the softness of Arthur's cheek, and down to the sharp curve of his shoulder, memorizing the scent of his mate as well as the landscape of his body. Merlin knew that so long as he was a juvenile, their contact could never break chastity, but when he reached adulthood and his first heat struck, everything would change.

"Sire." Ellena said in a moment of silence between the two, breaking the trance that had mentally sent them far away from the Omega den.

Arthur turned his head to face her, and in the process of doing so tucked Merlin's head under his chin. The fluffy black ear twitched against Arthur's cheek, but he didn't seem to notice the mild annoyance.

"Fresh food and drink will be provided each morning before you both awake. Only I will enter the chamber to deliver it. If you need anything from me, simply knock on the doors and I will come." Ellena bowed her head and her soft smile was once against in place upon her face. She took her leave quietly from the room and locked the doors behind her with a soft click.

After a few moments of contented cuddling, Arthur pulled back with his hands on Merlin's shoulders.

"Tell me about yourself, your history and life before here. I'd like to know, if you don't mind." Arthur draw Merlin back in, taking the corner of his fur-covered ear in to his mouth and nibbling on the corner. The boy felt his own purr rise up in his throat, vibrating his chest against his loose tunic.

"Anything for you, sire." Merlin mewled, running his smooth tongue along the collarbone jutting from Arthur's shirt.

"Arthur." The prince corrected, nipping the soft ear he held between his teeth in gentle punishment.

"Call me Arthur."


	3. Chapter 2

Merlin squirmed around in Arthur's arms, maneuvering so that he was straddling the prince's lap, but also so that he could face him. The woolen dress Merlin was required to wear was very large at the base, able to accommodate most changes in position while maintaining his modesty. They little shorts he had been given to wear would ensure that, but the Omega was a bit wary about seeming indecent, especially in front of a prince.

"Do you really want to hear about it?" He asked, his feline ears twitching atop his head. Arthur smiled and nodded his head, reaching up to rub his finger and his thumb along the soft fur lining. The action elicited a soft purr, to which Arthur responded with a deeper one of his own.

"Well... my name is Merlin... but you already know that." His ears twitched, trying to shake off Arthur's firm grip, but the prince held fast. He continued stroking the fur near the tip of his ear, gentle enough to tickle the tiniest bit. It was nice, but also a bit frustrating.

"And my name is Arthur. It's nice to meet you." The prince teased, jutting out his nose so that it bumped with Merlin's. Arthur looked so divine when he smiled, it made Merlin's stomach feel warm and full, like happiness was bubbling up within in and preparing to boil over.

"I'm trying to be serious!" Merlin whined, wiggling his face away from Arthur's but the Alpha locked his arms around Merlin's waist, keeping him secured in his lap.

"You're being adorable, I can't resist. Please continue though, I really do want to hear more." Arthur ran his hands up Merlin's back, digging his fingers in to the soft flesh and tense muscle that lined his spine. The Omega arched his back from the sensation, and Arthur took the opportunity to press his chest flush with Merlin's, savoring every point on contact he could make with his smaller mate.

"You're being distracting." Merlin pouted, but Arthur's embrace was comforting. Though the prince was doing strange things with his hands, he couldn't help but enjoy the electricity that would jolt through his body at every new connection of skin on skin. With every touch their connection was deepened, opening up a new channel Arthur could exploit to permeate more of his very being.

The Alpha didn't respond, but ran his stubbly chin along the side of Merlin's neck. The small itchy pricks in his skin were maddening, but Arthur's silence was a sign that he should keep talking before the prince interrupted him again.

"I was born in the village of Ealdor. I never knew my father, but my mother never took another husband. As far as I knew, she was just regular, a Beta, like the majority of the other villagers." Merlin sighed, remembering his old home fondly, even though his days there had been just as troubled as his time was now. He had been too young to be ruled out as an Omega by the other children, and no Alphas lived in the countryside farming for a living. It was a difficult time, for his mother to have to hide him every time someone would visit the village, under a thick blanket of dried herbs and layers of his fathers old clothing. But at least that was his home, he wasn't forced to be there, he chose to be there.

"I was born with... abilities. Magic. Since the day I was born my mother fought to teach me to control it, and I was getting pretty good at hiding it." Merlin wiggled his arms free from Arthur's embrace, and placed his hands on the prince's chest, revealing the full length of his iron restraints. They were thin sheets of metal, pure forged iron, with intricate and delicate looking runes carved along the circumference. Merlin could feel his magic, just beneath his skin as it hummed and sang in response to his own emotions, but he could never touch it. The iron distorted his ability to grab hold of what was inside of him, and though he knew it was there, he couldn't feel it's effects so long as the iron remained.

"Magic isn't a crime though..." Arthur murmured, running his hands along the delicate cuffs that adorned his Omega's wrists.

"For us, it is. When the hunters came, I tried to hide. They saw me using magic to escape. It is still viewed as incredibly undesirable to have a mate with free magic." Merlin lowered his eyes, remembering how the hunters had feared him, and no one would handle him until he had been proven harmless. Magic may not be outlawed, Merlin thought, but it wasn't widely accepted either. He was certain the hunters had found him in part by using magic, and he was positive they have bound him using even stronger magic. Perhaps it was punishment for hiding from them for so long, Merlin would never know.

"They don't give you a choice, when you're an Omega. It's either you go to the den, or you go to the den. Most of the time the hunters find you young, so you don't know any different, but Ealdor was small, and Cendred's men never cared much for the small village." Merlin remember many cold winters with very little to eat, and even worse springs, when the rains would fall so heavy the crops would swell up and die. Summers were bearable, because at least they could hunt to supplement their meager food intake, but wild game only lasted so long. He tried to help the crops grow with his magic, and the game plentiful, but Hunith had greatly disapproved of such actions. Merlin had never understood why, but the hunters could smell his magic on the crops and the livestock, it spread him thin over the entire village, instead of concentrated in one little body. It what was eventually gave him away.

"When the hunters found me, Cendred's den wouldn't take me. Even with bound magic, male Omega's are already looked down upon by the more desirable females. Even if we are stronger and have a higher chance of Alpha children, females are more coveted for their tempers and beauty. They are drawn to their mates while us males have a tendency to run, I guess. I was brought here, and Ellena felt guilty for my mistreatment, and took me in." Merlin lowered his head, letting his check rest against Arthur's broad shoulder. Recounting the story reminded him of his place in life, which was always a sad thing to dwell upon. He was not a second-class citizen by any account, Omegas were revered regardless of gender, just as Alphas were. But the drastic measures taken to protect their kind did not take their feelings in to account.

"Merlin..." Arthur whispered, bringing his hands up to stroke soothing circles in to his mates back, trailing one hand up in to his hair to scratch the base of his feline ears. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of this, I never really thought about what it was like... to be on the other side."

Merlin whined, a soft cry akin to someone humming a sad song, and they sat in silence for a long period of time, locked in an embrace to reassure them both that the other wouldn't leave them anytime soon.

"It's not all bad." Merlin finally broke the silence, lifting his head from Arthur's shoulder. He bumped his nose with Arthur's again, enjoy the way the simple contact changed Arthur's scent, from content, to smitten. Merlin needed the reassurance, and Arthur was happy to oblige.

"They took you from your home Merlin, when you were old enough to know what was happening, and they didn't explain to you why. They bound your magic, a part of your soul, just to make you more desirable. It's sounds all bad, if you ask me." The prince rubbed his check against the top of Merlin's head, and the Omega was able to detect the faintest scent of pure Arthur left behind. He purred softly in his chest, just enough to vocalize his pleasure at Arthur's scent-marking.

"But it brought me to you. I couldn't be happy with anyone else now that I've met you." Merlin lifted his chin, baring his neck to Arthur to show his submission.

The princes teeth began nipping small bites in to Merlin's soft flesh, leaving behind a trail of red marks. The Omega knew Arthur would need to be reassured as well, that once they left the room Merlin would not be spirited away by another. With the burden of their dying breed upon their backs they both needed proof that it would work, that it would be forever and that it was going to be worth the effort.

"They say there are fewer and fewer of us born every year." Arthur murmurs, his lips pressed tightly against the skin of Merlin's collarbone.

"I'm just glad I was able to find the one who makes me feel complete." A long sigh followed, and the prince brought Merlin's head down to his shoulder once more.

"There once was a time, when the world was full of us, Alphas and Omegas." He started, resigning himself contently to tell the story of their birth, filling in the gaps in Merlin's education. "Every Alpha had one Omega, the one who completed their very soul. Some never found theirs, some disliked theirs, some fought, and some refused to be mated. Destiny will always make sure they come together though, which is how to dens came about. Bring all Omegas in to one place, and the perfect partnership was guaranteed to be forged."

The story was one Arthur had been told when he was very young, trained under the tutelage of the dominant Alpha, his father. Uther had passed on the knowledge Arthur would need to rise to the role of dominant Alpha in Camelot, it was the only bit of his training his father was active in. Arthur had tried not to be resentful that his father wanted very little to do with the prince's life during his youth, but it was hard to see passed that on occasion.

"When Alphas and Omegas mated outside of their soul's partners, the Betas were born. They lacked the magic that runs through our bloodlines, the instincts that keep us strong and safe. Many were born without true magic, and the magic in the world began to fade." Arthur felt Merlin's feline ears twitch against his head, and he smiled softly at the action. This Omega was everything he could have ever dreamed of, and more. Male or not, Arthur knew Merlin would be the only one he could ever desire.

"Alpha and Omega dynamics go beyond gender in mating, it's about true love and perfect partnerships. It's about finding the one person who means more then the world, and keeping them safe forever, at least for us Alphas." The prince chuckled, enjoying the way Merlin's body was becoming more and more dead weight as the boy relaxed from the sound of Arthur's voice. Merlin's tail twitched occasionally, keeping him awake when his mind so desperately was craving rest.

"Betas though, can only mate with the opposite gender. Whether Omega, Alpha or Beta, their partner must be opposite of them for their copulation to be successful. It's not about finding happiness in another person, but the expansion of the species. Less and less of us are born now; you were the newest addition to this den, and you are already partially grown. One Alpha is still born for every Omega, our connections still span through our blood's magic and our ancient instincts, but many find it easier not to look for theirs; to find a Beta woman or man who will 'suffice'." Arthur gently grabbed Merlin's sleek black tail near it's end, and it reflexively wrapped itself around the prince's hand, allowing him to feel the gentle heat from the Omega's body through the downy soft fur.

"But why is my magic bound?" Merlin mumbled, not hiding the obvious drowsiness in his voice. A yawn punctuated his question, and he re-situated himself by rubbing his cheeks along Arthur's linen shirt in delicate circles to up all the scent he could steal from the prince's clothing. "How come I have to wear iron?"

The Alpha lightly traced the runes on the ankle cuffs, skimming over metal and flesh alike. The iron never seemed to warm, no matter how hot Merlin's small frame ran. Truthfully, Arthur didn't know. There had been other Omegas with true magic in Camelot's court, unbound and free. He hadn't seen a sorcerer bound like this since his birth. The prince sighed, feeling along the length of Merlin's cuffs for a weak place he could break them off from, but they were sealed with magic, raising more questions then they answered.

"True magic was blamed for the decrease in Alphas and Omegas. It was believed that those with true magic were upsetting the balance, and were punished by being made equal to everyone else. It's rare for true magic to appear these days, just like it's rare for us to be born. The old thinking is flawed, but I was lead to believe it hadn't been adhered to in many years. I don't know why you are bound now, we live in a different time, when all Omegas and Alphas should be embraced. Eventually I fear we will die out, and only Betas will remain." Arthur sighed, thinking back to his younger days at court. No Betas were ever found with true magic, only learned magic, further drawing the distinct assumptions that the influx of Betas in the world was more of a punishment then a conclusion.

Merlin wanted to say that perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps it was better is everyone was the same, is Beta children got to grow up with their families and got to pick who they mated with, only they called it 'marriage'. They weren't as strong as the Alphas, or as fertile as the Omegas, but coupling was easy for them. They had no destined mates, no scent bonding, no soul sharing. Their lives were easier in a way.

Instead he raised his head to see the sad, faraway look in Arthur's eyes, and placed a gentle kiss to his throat. They had found each other in this lifetime, and that was all that mattered to him.


	4. Chapter 3

Days spent in the bonding chamber were slow, but comfortable and lazy. Merlin told Arthur stories about growing up in a small village, and the prince recounted his adventures protecting Camelot and training with the knights. They were able to figure out that Arthur was five years older then Merlin, having just celebrated his coming of age. He had lost his ears and his tail only weeks before finding Merlin, shortly after he enjoyed the festivities for his seventeenth birthday. The Omega's coming of age was still many years off, and it was a nagging through that lingered on Merlin's mind long after the conversation ended.

"Won't you be old when I come of age?" Merlin had asked, curled up on the foot of the bed while Arthur stretched his limbs in a very particular manner. The prince had given him an incredulous look, then sighed, silently remembering just how little Merlin knew about their shared culture. Growing up in a village of Betas had left Merlin with a different perception of the world, and though the prince did not fault him for lacking in understanding, it was exhausted having to reteach his mate every aspect of their day-to-day lives.

"I'll stop aging once we tie ourselves together. Once you reach your adulthood we'll age with each other, until we grow old and perish. It's a ritual all Alphas and Omegas partake in." Arthur stopped stretching his muscles, which had grown sore from their solitary confinement in the bonding chamber, and joined Merlin on the bed. He scooped him up in to his arms and cradled him close to his heart, covering the poor boy in his musky scent and his salty sweat.

"You're getting me all wet." Merlin groaned, trying to wiggle free, but Arthur moved his arms like snakes, keeping the boy locked against him until his instincts were satisfied with Merlin's very altered scent.

"I'm making you smell nice." The prince countered, rubbing his nose along the delicate skin of Merlin's neck. There were bruises from Arthur's overly enthusiastic teeth all along his neck, each one a strong reminder of just which Alpha had claimed this Omega. One more slide of his cheek and a stronger layer of pheromones was stuck to Merlin's skin, like glue that wouldn't wash off, but would only wane with time.

"You are rubbing your sweat all over me, I'll smell like a barn animal if you keep it up!" Merlin grumbled, but allowed Arthur to continue to mark him. He did it frequently, rubbing his glands against parts of Merlin's body to absorb the prince's scent, as well as his warning pheromones. This was his territory, the Omega was able to detect in the way he smelled. Arthur was simply protecting his property, no matter how frustrating it was to be pinned down while the prince soothed his ego. The room smelled so strongly of Alpha now that Merlin was having a hard time believing he wasn't already saturated in it.

"We have to leave soon. Some of my company is Alphas. I want them to know." Arthur bumped noses with Merlin, and smiled. It burned away some of Merlin's annoyance, knowing that he cared for him enough to proclaim it to his knights, but it still didn't change the fact that it was Arthur's sweat currently seeping through his scratchy dress. His only scratchy dress, he reminded himself.

"Tomorrow?" Merlin sighed, already missing the lazy comfort of the bonding room, where nothing was expected of them but to enjoy each others company. They had developed a friendly banter, blossoming in to companions as well as mates. It made Merlin happy to know they were compatible outside of their mating sessions, and the rest of his life wouldn't be spent in miserable company.

"Tonight we should partake in the Joining, then we ride in the morning. Do you know how to ride, Merlin?" The prince hadn't planned on letting the Omega ride alone, they would be riding double to the city of Camelot, but it would be good to know if they ever were to go out of the citadel together.

"Mmmm, no I don't believe I do." Merlin had been atop a horse before, but that by no means meant he knew how to ride. He had been atop a horse the entire journey from Ealdor to Cendred's den, to the Camelot den, and his ability to ride had not improved a bit. He was more concerned about the second thing the prince had mentioned.

"What's the Joining?" Merlin latched on to the delicate skin of Arthur's earlobe with his sharp little teeth, nibbling on the flesh in a way an innocent way the prince often did to him. Arthur retaliated by grabbing the base of Merlin's tail, drawing a startled cry from the Omega and freeing the prince from his bite.

"Behave!" Arthur scolded with a smile, smoothing down the fur that he had bristled on Merlin's tail with his manhandling. "The Joining is a very important ritual we must partake in, almost akin to marriage for Betas, only a bit more permanent and lot more meaningful. Instead of vows, you show your dedication with your very soul."

"It sounds... intense." Merlin briefly pondered if this was something he was ready for, still in the midst of his youth with his cat ears and his slim tail. He was awfully young to be binding himself to someone so thoroughly, but the primal voice at the back of his mind urged him to stop worrying and accept the prince's vows. That same feral presence also sent Merlin dirty thoughts when he was curled up in the bed he shared with Arthur, reveling in the strong scent of his Alpha, so Merlin was not too inclined to believe it's wishes for the absolute truth.

"It will be wonderful Merlin, I know without a doubt you are the only one for me, and I want to make it as permanent as I can before our proper mating." Arthur finally released Merlin from his grip, thoroughly content with the thick pheromones covering his Omega's body now. Merlin had tried to be disgusted with him, but the prince's scent soothed his anger long before he could harness it in to a quarrel.

They lay in silence for a long while, Arthur pressed against Merlin's back tracing lazy patterns along the Omega's skin. As the sun began to set, the prince stirred from his light dozing, waking Merlin from his nap as well.

"It's almost time Merlin." Arthur sat up alone, leaving the boy to curl in upon himself for warmth at the loss of the Alpha's heat.

Merlin whimpered at the loss of contact flailing his arms around to try to latch on to his retreating mate, but Arthur blatantly ignored him, digging through the leather satchel he had brought with him in to the den. A soft cotton tunic and a matching pair of linen pants joined Merlin on the bed in lieu of Arthur, as the prince set himself to changing his own clothing.

"We have to change before the Joining, I've brought you something from Camelot. I hope it fits, you are a lot smaller then I expected." Arthur brought the leather pack with him in the room with the bath tub and left Merlin alone in the main chamber.

The Omega greedily pawed at the clothing Arthur had given him once he was alone in the room, savoring the soft feel and the rich colors of the fabric and the fine stitching at all the seams. Even when he had lived in the village of Ealdor he hadn't worn such nice clothing, and the Omega den was a perfect picture of the opposite of luxury, with their scratchy woolen dresses for both the males and females.

The tunic was loose, and Merlin swam in the excess material like settling in a large pond. The pants were generously fit with a drawstring so he could tighten them enough to fit his thin frame, but there was little he could do for the much oversized top. It was obvious the clothing had once been Arthur's, not only from the strong scent Merlin was able to detect, but from the conspicuous golden dragons, and the deep crimson Arthur had identified as Pendragon red.

"Are you dressed yet?" Arthur reemerged from the other room, freshly shaven, changed, and smelling a million times better then he had shortly before as he completed his vigorous stretches. Merlin didn't mind the way the prince smelled when he was releasing his heavy streams of pheromones, or the way his body smelled naturally, but when the smell of sweat and exertion was added in to the mix, the Omega couldn't help but turn up his nose. He blamed it on living amongst the women in the den, being raised to be as submissive and as delicate as any female Omega, though his brain was quick to remind him he was a horrible liar.

"These clothes are giant." Merlin complained, swinging his arms around to demonstrate his point. The tunic moved along his skin like a slow breeze, the excess material catching on every movement and exaggerating it tenfold.

"Well, like I said. I hadn't imagined you being so small. They are a few of my old pieces. I had to bring something with the symbol of Camelot, as well as something of mine. Other Alphas, the smell, I'm sure you understand by now." Arthur swept Merlin up in to his arms, cradling the smaller boy as he spun him around the room. The Omega protested grossly, but Arthur only laughed and moved faster, bumping in to the bed posts on more then one occasion as he tossed himself and his mate around with reckless abandon.

"I understand you are trying to make me sick!" Merlin shouted, but Arthur's laughter drowned out his protests, carrying on long after he had tossed them both on to the bed and tucked his mates small frame under his own.

"I don't want to make you sick. I want to make you mine!" Arthur nipped the corner of Merlin's ear with his sharp little teeth, and the boy yelped in protest. He tried to wiggle out from underneath the prince, but Arthur held him tight and flat against the rumbled quilt of their shared mattress.

"That's a silly thing to want." Merlin growled, flattening his ears against his skull to escape the prince's attacks, but the weight upon his body was not alleviated in the slightest.

"It's a noble thing to want. I want everyone to know you are to be the prince's mate, you are my intended and I will take no other. I want everyone to know you are mine and they may not touch you. I want everyone to understand how happy you make me, and I'm not sure how." Arthur finally eased up on Merlin, tucking his hands under his mates thighs and spinning them so the Omega was sitting on Arthur's chest, with the Alpha laying flat upon the bed.

"Don't you already have all those things though?" Merlin thought for sure that once they entered the bonding chamber, their union was nearly permanent. It would take a few years for Merlin to reach maturity before they could properly mate and hope to begin bearing children, but the Omega was so certain his body was so saturated in Arthur's scent, no other Alpha would even be able to identity him.

"I'm already yours, I would never let another take me from you." Merlin rubbed his cold nose against the prince's warm cheeks, enjoying the way his mate shivered from the contact, but it didn't ease his mind.

"When we leave here, things will be different." Arthur sighed, returning Merlin's gentle prodding with his own.

"Not everyone follows the laws. Apparently, not even the hunters. Magic is being bound, Omegas are being violated before being mated, and the court in Camelot is pushing for less traditional laws." Arthur ran his hands up along Merlin's back, enjoying the way his mate's slim tail trailed his movements with curious flicks.

"Many of the members of the court are Betas, and believe the Alpha and Omega dynamics are outdated and unnecessary. They don't understand what is it like to have a true mate, a destined partner. They believe in political marriage and noble birth, above the values of the Old Religion." Arthur sighed, remembering the feeling of belittlement the elders of the court would bestow upon low-born Omegas. The Alphas valued their Omegas like precious jewels, set in pure gold, but the Betas saw filthy blood and peasants dressed in expensive gowns.

The court would never make there feelings public knowledge, for fear of a backlash from the Alpha nobility who still littered the capital, but they were not shy in hiding their distaste.

"It was petitioned before the King, my father and the dominant Alpha of Camelot, that I should be offered in political marriage to strengthen the kingdom. My father declined, but soon nobles with Beta daughters were paraded around the courtroom at feasts and formal balls. I left to find you soon after I lost my ears. Once I reached adulthood, I petitioned the King for a leave of absence, and I set out for every den in Camelot." Arthur attempted to smooth away the sour look that had crossed Merlin's face, but the Omega shook away his mate's hands, keeping his scowl and his suddenly fowl mood permanent.

"That is awful Arthur. It's awful they would ask that of you, awful they would use those poor girls like that. It's awful they don't believe that you have made me the happiest I'll ever be in my lifetime. They can't marry you off now that I am with you, will they? I mean, they can't, right?" Merlin's sour look shifted to worry, as he considered the option of being sent back to the den after Arthur is married off. He would be rejected by the other Omegas for his failures, and the new-coming Alphas for his bond to Arthur. He would never be able to mate again.

"I don't know what will happen Merlin." Arthur soothed, finally knocking his mate's hands away long enough to rest his hands upon Merlin's cheeks.

"All I know is that when we arrive in Camelot, I don't want anyone within the Citadel to question your standing. It's why I must insist upon the Joining before we leave for Camelot. If we are tied, you and I will be untouchable until your first heat, when the Joining will break." Arthur caressed the soft curve of Merlin's neck, fluttering his fingers over the love bites he had already covered the pale skin in. With the completion of the Joining, Arthur's mark would shine brightly upon that expanse of skin, a warning beacon to all those questioned his standing.

"Let's do it then." Merlin mewled, raising his chin to reveal more of the untouched skin of his neck.

"Right now?" Arthur growled, stilling his hands as the desire to sink his teeth in to Merlin grew ever stronger. "Are you sure?"

Merlin purred, low and steady in reassurance of his consent to the Joining. He relaxed the muscles in his neck and let his head fall back, the virgin flesh on display for the Alpha to make his move.

"Please do it Arthur. I don't ever want to lose you." He keened, curling his tail up tightly in anticipation of the ritual that was to follow.

"There is no going back from this, Merlin." Arthur warned, his voice a strangled growl in the depths of his chest.

"I don't want to go back." The Omega squeezed Arthur's hips with his knees, spurring him onwards like one would a steed. It was all the motivation the Alpha needed, as he surged upwards and latched his sharp teeth in to Merlin's flesh.

Unlike the love bites he had given before, his ivories slid through the barrier of skin easily, and the Alphas mouth quickly filled with the red hot blood of his Omega. The magic in Merlin's blood was stronger then the spirits he had tasted upon his coming of age, burning like the alcohol, yet soothing like spring water. It washed over him in great waves, each draw from Merlin's body hit Arthur like a crush to every bone in his body, and yet the sensation was entirely pleasant and addicting.

Merlin gave a strangled cry, and Arthur was drawn from his haze of pleasure and intensity. He quickly ran his tongue over the fresh wounds, applying pressure with his lips and glossa until the bleeding had nearly stopped. The Omega was quivering, though the blissful look upon his face reassured Arthur that he had felt the same thing the Alpha had been feeling moments before.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, stroking Merlin's ears and hair in gentle strokes, until his mate eased his eyes open and nodded.

Merlin's eyes were glowing a soft golden color, overpowering the ocean blue Arthur had grown fond of, though the Alpha knew his eyes looked the same at this very moment. The balance of blood magic was off, and it had to be righted for the Joining to be complete.

"I'm okay." Merlin eased out slowly, taking each word cautiously to avoid slurring his speech. The draw of his blood's magic in to Arthur's body had been powerful and overwhelming, but it had left him drained.

"Think you can handle round two?" The prince chuckled slightly, unlacing the front of his tunic to reveal the unmarked skin of his neck to his mate.

Merlin answered in the only way his body would allow, with the tearing of flesh and free flow of blood, and the two mates felt the coils of destiny pull them tighter together, as they nursed their sore necks and their tired minds.

"You are my everything, Merlin." Arthur whispered as they drifted off to sleep for the last time in the bonding chamber.

A long silence passed between them, in which the prince fell asleep and draped himself casually over the exhausted body of his mate, but in the darkness Merlin was left stirring touching the clotted bite on his neck and reveling in the sensation it shot through his worn out system.

"You are my everything too, Arthur." He whispered to the silence.

"Forever my everything."

* * *

><p>Small note: Someone had mentioned that I needed to change the description of Merlin's ears to canine instead of feline, and I wanted to point out that Merlin does indeed had feline ears and a slim feline style tail. I would also like to point out that the ears and the tail are almost purely aesthetic in this universe. The fact that Merlin has feline features means almost nothing, except that he is still a child. Arthur no longer has his ears or his tail, because he is an adult. It's an important feature in this story's AlphaOmega dynamic for the purpose of singling out Omegas who are too young to properly mate (have sex.)

A portion of this story focuses on their budding relationship while Merlin is still a child, and his feline features serve as a reminder that he is too young to participate in sexual activity yet.


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